Acceptance & Natural
by neela
Summary: 2 words. 15 minutes a piece. Amazing what comes out of one's mind... Could be related to each other.
1. Acceptance

**_Fandom: _**_Murder Call (Tessa Vance books)  
**Author:** neela _  
**_Rating: _**_PG (K+)_  
**_Warning: _**_15-minute ficlet. This has only been checked for spelling mistakes..._  
**_Summary: _**_It's hard to fit in when you're a sheep in a pack of wolves._

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**Acceptance**

It's hard to fit in when you're a sheep in a pack of wolves. The wolves are always hungry, always on the hunt for food and the other necessary things in order for their survival. But most of all food. And when you're a sheep, you're easy prey.

A sheep stands no chance against a full-blooded and a full pack of wolves. It is driven into a corner until the wolves decide who is the lucky bastard to get dinner today, or the meat is split between them. No way a sheep could ever escape the wolves by itself. Not if it's already up in the corner.

But if it's not in a corner, the sheep can run. Though the saying "you can run but you can't hide" would certainly apply then. There is no escaping the wolves completely. You can run and run and run, but they will always catch up to you. Or drive you off a cliff or into a lake. Then you're just as messed up as if you were standing in a corner surrounded by the lot of them.

However, there is that tiny, winy, little chance that a sheep can survive in a wolf dominated population. And that is by gaining respect. Nevertheless, to gain that aforementioned respect is easier said than done. One usually has to prove oneself. Either by hunting down something eatable, or fighting the lead male wolf. In some cases one has to beat more than just one wolf.

Tessa had been there. Exact same position. Although nearly driven up into a corner, she had fought tooth and nail to get out of it, and though she stumbled on her way as she ran, she gained respect when she turned mid-way and faced the lead wolves head-on. It had been a long battle, a hard battle which she had barely escaped with her life. But even though the lead wolf had done little to credit her victory, his second-in-command had certainly shown a lot more respect for her.

It paid off to have a brilliant mind, but no matter how smart or good one is, you always have to prove your worth. There is no denying it. One has to make a stand, show what you believe in and how far you will go for that same belief. Tessa had gone all the way. She had stood by her beliefs, though wavering at the threat of other wolves, she had turned her weaknesses into strength. She had her complexes, but who didn't?

In the end, she, as the sheep, had gotten a top position among the wolves. After five years, she could finally say with rock-hard belief that she had gained acceptance. They knew every weakness and strength within her and she knew theirs. She would have their back and they would have her. She was confident of that fact.

It felt truly good to have such a respect. Even more so as the second-in-command showed her especially how large acceptance and respect he had of her behind closed doors. Why his wife ditched out on him, Tessa would never know or understand, but one thing was for certain: Steve was one hell of a lover.

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	2. Natural

**_Fandom: _**_Murder Call (Tessa Vance books)  
**Author:** neela _  
**_Rating: _**_PG (K+)_  
**_Warning: _**_15-minute ficlet. This has only been checked for spelling mistakes..._  
**_Summary: _**_Some things are meant to be the way they are._

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**Natural**

Some things are meant to be the way they are. Other things are meant to be changed. But there are some things that is simply, quite natural. Like drinking coffee in the morning to wake up. Or in fact just sleeping.

The basics of human nature are things that are quite natural and often completely necessary for a human to function from day to day. Under this category falls sleeping, eating, drinking, breathing, having an appointment with nature, as they say. These are the most elementary ones and the ones you can speak of freely, except that the latter will have you being accused of having a toilet humour.

Other than that, there are also other things that are quite natural for a human being, although in public places or in larger groups, you do not speak of it too loudly. These are the needs of a human being, the one that relates us the most to what we like to confine to the animal planet. For example the need for reproducing and carry on one's genes, and fight for one's own survival.

Though one doesn't speak of it, doesn't mean it's not happening. Behind every bedroom door where a woman and a man (or two of a kind) meets, there is wild, thrashy sex going on. And the need for survival—well, you can especially see that when you walk on the streets, looking down shady alleys, or in countries ripped apart by war. But being in homicide, one is also often faced with the truth that someone killed in self-defence.

Like Steve is doing right now, watching his partner going through the last procedures of the interview, the woman opposite of her drying her tears after telling them the shocking story of how she was abused sexually from she was little. It's a shame, what the world has come to. Stave hates it, that's why he joined up with the force. He wants to nail those bastards who beat their wives, who kills for fun or sells drugs to kids. But he's confined to the murder squad and life there is certainly not showing its brighter side. Always murder and disaster. Sometimes a sad story behind it like this current case, often cold-blooded reasons or no reason at all. He hates it, but he can't escape it. He knows that.

His partner is comforting the other woman, following her out the door to the hallway beyond the interrogation room. Steve leans down on the table in front of him. Beside him, Dee is shutting down the equipment used for recording the interview. She cracks a joke, but Steve's far away, caught up in his mind. Before he knows it, she's out of the room, saying she's going to label the video and archive it.

He stands there for a second more, gritting his teeth and clenching his hands upon the back of the chair Dee had just vacated. Steve hated sad stories like this case. It wasn't natural for someone to molest their own kin. It made him sick. Truly sick. He fisted his hand and hit the table. Hard. The pain cleared his mind a little bit, so he welcomed it.

Out of nowhere, a soft fluttering stroked over his sore knuckles. Steve opened his eyes as he felt another hand, smaller, smoother, grab his and hold it gently. His grey eyes meet clear blue ones. They are filled with understanding. The lips beneath them smiles softly, touching his knuckles lovingly.

"That must have hurt," Tessa said quietly, looking up at him as he drew his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Steve soaked up the warmth her presence gave him, the calmness flowing from her to him, the fair hair beneath his nostrils smelling sweetly of faint flower. That's right, she had taken a shower that morning. They both had. He grinned suddenly, overcome with memories that pushed aside all those other bad ones occupying his head.

"Just a little," he murmured into her hair, closing his eyes as he revelled in this quiet moment, his mind seeking back to this morning.

Sure, the need for human reproducing was completely natural. No living being would ever deny that. It was necessary to bring forth the population. And of course it helped on people's minds. He had never felt such calm as when he was with her. Tessa helped him fulfill all his basic human needs. What else could be more natural?

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